Seattle Parks and Recreation is hosting an open house meeting for interested organizations and stakeholders on Tuesday, March 6, 2012 at 7 p.m. at South Shore K-8 School Rotunda. South Shore K-8 School is located at 4800 S Henderson St. At this meeting Parks will introduce the opportunity for possible partnerships with Seattle Parks in operating and providing services at Rainier Beach Community Center and Pool. Organizations are invited to bring marketing materials and tables will be available to display their information.

This Request for Interest (RFI) process is an opportunity to jumpstart some of the goals and priorities outlined in the Rainier Beach Neighborhood Plan Update that the Department of Neighborhoods and Department of Planning and Development have been working with the community on over the last year. Parks supports the goal of actively engaging Rainier Beach community members and would like to start exploring partnership opportunities with interested community stakeholders for the new community center and pool in Rainier Beach which is scheduled to open in fall 2013.

The $25 million investment in this new 46,500 square foot facility demands that it be open and accessible for a broad range of community activities. Recognizing the ongoing limitations of the City’s operating budget, it is prudent to look at new ways to help maximize the use of the Rainier Beach Community Center and Pool. Through the RFI process, Parks hopes to identify community partners who can offer programs to the community and make productive use of the facility that will help stretch the City’s resources beyond what tax dollars might be able to provide.

Seattle Parks and Recreation and the Washington State University (WSU) Extension’s 4-H Youth Development Program will offer a three-day training course in low ropes facilitation from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. March 20, 21 and 22 at Parks’ first low ropes course at West Seattle’s Camp Long.

Low ropes challenge courses, catching on nationwide, offer the user the opportunity to develop skills in team building, confidence boosting, leadership, and trust by overcoming a series of real and imaginary obstacles. A course generally contains elements such as poles, platforms, ladders and cables that require thought and teamwork to overcome. The elements are strung between poles 12 to 18 inches above the ground.

The upcoming training is designed for current or former ropes course facilitators. Participants who complete the course will receive 24 clock hours, will be able to host and facilitate group activities at the Camp Long course, and will be able to use the Portable Challenge Kit in a classroom.

The cost of the course is $150. For more details and to register, please call Ken Turner at 206-399-2205 or email him at keno.turner@seattle.gov,

Funding for this project came from the WSU 4-H Youth Development Program, and the Camp Long course joins an extensive system of WSU 4–H Adventure Education Programs and Courses.

Camp Long is one of Seattle’s best kept secrets. Located in West Seattle, this 68 acre park offers visitors an opportunity to enjoy nature, hike in the forest, camp overnight in rustic cabins, rock climb, and learn about natural history. For more information: http://www.seattle.gov/parks/environment/camplong.htm.

For more information about challenge courses, please see
http://acct.affiniscape.com/associations/5266/files/attarian_bibliography.pdf.